The present invention concerns an arrangement for the displacement of the driving-space of a vehicle, comprising a first beam section which on the one hand supports the cab and, on the other hand is arranged as a structural framework for the vehicle, and a rear section arranged behind the driving-space, which is joined to the driving space of the cab and which is connected to the structural framework, so that the rear section is prevented from being displaced in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle.
When a lorry or bus has a head-on collision with, for example, another lorry there is a risk that the front part of the cab, together with the instrument panel, are pushed inwards in the direction towards the driver""s seat due to the large forces which arise in the collision.
In the case of lorries which are equipped with an articulated cab, the cab""s fixture at the first point between the cab and the vehicle framework is made to be separated in a head-on collision, so that the cab is displaced backwards, in order to reduce thereby the deformation of the cab. This fixture must exhibit good fatigue strength which results in the force from the cab which arises in a collision becoming large before the cab is separated from the first point. Due to the size of this collision force, the front part of the cab and the instrument panel are pushed inwards in the cab before the separation occurs. The hydraulic cylinder or cylinders which powers the articulation of the cab also contribute to the collision force, acting on the cab, becoming large before the separation occurs.
It is an objective of the present invention to achieve an arrangement which facilitates the displacement of the driving-space of a vehicle, which arrangement ensures that the driving-space remains essentially intact in the event of a collision.
This is achieved by means of an arrangement of the type given in the introduction, where the first beam section can be displaced relative to the supporting framework so that the driving-space is displaced in the direction towards the rear section under collision conditions.
Such an arrangement reduces the deformation of the cab when the vehicle collides with a vehicle in front or a barrier. Since the driving-space will remain essentially intact after the collision, the doors of the cab can still be opened, which makes it easier for the driver to get out of the cab.